Visit the La Salle Natural Sciences Museum

Amazing Whale skeleton in La Salle Museum, La Sabana

Visitors to San Jose West can experience a unique museum tour at the La Salle Natural Sciences Museum. This iconic institution can be found in the La Sabana park area of San Jose. Many people visiting Costa Rica are pleasantly surprised at how engaging and inspiring the collection is in the museum. If you’re building your itinerary, wow your tour group members with a stop by this hidden gem of a museum.

Hours and How to Get There

Before you go, make sure you plan ahead to ensure your visit will be a success. The La Salle Natural Sciences Museum is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Getting there is easy since it’s located along a popular bus route. Simply take the Sabana-Estadio bus and get off at the stop right outside of the museum. Touring the museum should only take a few hours. It’s easy and convenient to add a stop to the museum on your list of sights to see while you’re visiting the San Jose area.

Natural History and More

A visit to the Natural Sciences Museum can give you and your travel companions an interesting look at some of nature’s best creations from zoology and mineralogy. Once you step through the entrance, you’ll be wowed at the variety of exhibits and sights here. There is plenty to see that will captivate young children, teenagers and even the most jaded adults in your party. Here are some things visitors can look forward to seeing at the La Salle Natural Sciences Museum.

A Complete Collection of Taxidermy: The museum has one of the most impressive taxidermy collections in the world. Visitors can see nearly 55,000 animal specimens throughout the museum, including fish, snakes and a large leatherback turtle.

Fossils From Around the World: The museum also offers everyone a glimpse of the past with a large selection of fossils. There are displays devoted to the science of paleontology, allowing visitors to discover a world from long ago.

Fascinating Dinosaur Bones Display: One of the highlights of the museum is its dinosaur bones display. The kids and grownups alike will be wowed by the reconstructed skeletons of these extinct beasts. Hundreds of Butterfly Specimens: Costa Rica is known for its diverse biology and colorful butterflies. Here, tourists can see an incredible display of mounted butterfly specimens from all over the globe, such as the impressive Blue Morpho butterfly.

Relax in the Peaceful Garden

After you’ve made your way through the museum, take a break outside in the quiet garden. The garden features a beautiful, tranquil setting and the museum’s only live residents, several turtles who like to sleep and be lazy in the warm Costa Rican sun. Here, you can experience the true spirit of this amazing place.

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The Story Behind the Collection

The museum and everything inside of it was made possible due to the diligence of one important man, Brother Eduardo Fernandez Barcena. Barcena founded the museum in 1960 to help keep the natural history of Costa Rica and other parts of the world preserved for all time. Throughout his life, Barcena was dedicated to museum education and the treasured biodiversity of Costa Rica. Later, he partnered with Gregory Litwan to help other museums around the world showcase some of Costa Rica’s most endangered bird species. Together, these two men made an impact on the local efforts to protect this beautiful paradise.

The La Salle Natural Sciences Museum is a must-see stop to add to your list of places to visit during your trip to Costa Rica.